Liquid cooling pump and fan



Jan. 1, 1952 W. B. CLIFFORD LIQUID COOLING PUMP AND FAN Filed Oct. 30, 1948 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 Walter C l i ostom Messl, Bess .Swenson Mass., execi tejeespi Z'his invention comprises a new angi improveg coolingfsystemsi I-ts chieffield of'nseds in con- 1 netion' with inteinalcombustion=-engines and it' willbehescribed -as designed {or thatpu 'pose.

lt -isi well understood that int'ei nai' combustion engines should be opei' ted "for g ood'efficienoy at elevatedtemperatures? ncco ciinglyit desirable to drivethe cooling "fanwhen the engine isi cold in-Startingor'at anytimewhen the cooling water: is'-sub stajntia1ly below" 200? Ffio;

thereabouts: Indeed, *ideahope ating conditions from the 'eiiiciency stanc'ipoin't wouli-be found t if the cooling water could 'be maintained "consish ently just-below 'the boiling' poihtz=-Td"avoidfthe dangem i overheating; "however; most systems are qesigned fonoooling wotexf' temi e tiufes not over lgp v H The object of the present invention is to proqige a *simb' controlling t e operation of the alike with the tembei-atin e of" th that is;-to "cause rotation 'of" them and while the temperature of "the oooling water eiiceeds'a; definite'predetermined"degree-and so,

toleave the fan idle until the engine has been warmedtothedesired point.

ooling water, 11 only when wwiththeseflbjec'ts inview, an important feetu're'of" the iiiventionconsists irr'a casing or other gine jacket end radiator with a power=drivenffl pump or impelie'r and 'arotor-tencehtrically at? rangeddn the massage, one edjacent' to'the'other, for rotation aboote common axis, in oombin'a tion "with "a *IanwDemtivdy connected to the rotorand-a thermostati'c valve-tor"coiitrollin' the I thx ough oregainst the 'rotd1 Thus as thevaltef is- *closedpthevolume; ofimpelled fiuid"appi'oaches'.

zero mid the totoi and faxiiemein at 'restfwhil, as the valve is opened by fiuidnffinoreasing tein at} greater and} greeter speed by the *inolje'asl'ng volume-of hot-fluidso allowed tocirclilatei" -aTi1econcentric arrangement of the" impelleranwrotor is oerticiilarly"advantageous bca'use saiewait r in pum Other features of the-invention consist .in noyel deteiil s of construrction" whereby a" tight liquid sea-1" is orovicled" foi" the rotary elements of the device, and means whereby 'emcient direction and contfol -i's"ins1'ired'"fo thefiuid in" itsDalssalgg through the impeller'androtor; ""IThesea-ndothei' features of the invention will behest-understood and appreciated fiom the fol? lowing desori'ptiomofi Q'preferred embodiment thereof, selected forpuiposes of illustration 11nd shown in'the accorhpanying'drawings'j in which: Fig? 1" is d view'of the device inverticalrseetion "together with a'dja'cenfportions' of 'an"'auto motive engine on which it is' installed, and Fig." 2 is at partial view incross-seetionon the InF'I'gII is'shoWn a portion of the water jacket I a 6r a automotive" engine? To" thisiisfsedurd' e "casing H in which arefornied beatings foi 'the rommi elements "ofth'e fan-controlling clevice' izihgei transversely of the "passagel"Tl'ie fie-riora'tiofis inthe diiiphla'gl'il" l3 a'j 'e o'pened'or closed by i ajlve 14 thermostatically controlled by"e'. heat sensitive" B llows I5Whi eh may be Oran-y wankfiown" oomirierial const 'uc'tion. the temperature of theweterfiowingbetween the water jaizkt anwthe radiator decreases; the valve l4 is"opera.tedt"o close the per'fo 'atio'nsin the didphfam"1 37am when 'theseperfoi'ations Efi111y closed the Circiilatibfl'dfflllidthrqiigfi t e p ageofr theca'smgwli substantially 're' dig-dead: v.

The front well of the water Jacket 10 is bored to feceivef e,""hoiizontally'projecting' tube Hi provided-withmngimdinarslots l8 and external;

venes'lfi which direct" finidpassin'goutwalfdly' toga-u h theslots in an approximately tanger ne! qirection. These varies at'theii' inn'ren'ds "afif' integral or otherwise secured to the hollow shaft 2! and provided with an annular series of blades 21 of the shape shown in Fig. 2. In the assembled device these blades act as a circulating pump in the system forcing the cooling fluid out through the fitting 12 to theradiator and drawin it from the water jacket through the stationary vanes l9.

The shaft 2| is supported at its outer end by ball bearings 28 which are pressed into a recess formed for that purpose in the outer end of the hub 20. A washer 29 is secured in position upon the end of the shaft 21 by a split ring, and

a compression spring 30 is interposed between this washer and a washer which covers the ball bearings 28. Accordingly, the hollow shaft 2| is at all times urged outwardly andthe outer face of its hub is held in sealing engagement with the bushing 25. It will be understood that the splined-connection between the shaft 2! and itsdriving pulley 23 permits the slight longitudinal movement of the shaft to take place which maybe necessary to establish and maintain a sealing relation between the hub 26 and the inner end of the bushing 25.

' Within the hollow shaft 2! is provided a solid shaft 3|. At its inner end this shaft is journaled in a bronze and graphite bushing 32 which is set into the hub of the hollow shaft. At its inner end the shaft 3| carries a. hub 33 and this is provided with a series of blades34 set at the proper angle to be drivenby fluid passing through the stationary vanes [9 as shown in Fig. -2. This; may "approximate an angle of 45to the radius of the outer circle of the blades. The shaft 3| passes at its outer end through the hub 35 of; the fan, the latter being mounted on ball bearings 36 which are supported in an annular recess provided in the outer end of the hub and held in place by a-lock nut 31. 35 is hollow and closed by a cover plate 38 attached thereto.- by screws. At its outer end the shaft 3| carries a washer and a pair of lock nuts 39. A spring 40 is interposed between this washer and the hub of the fan. The spring tends always to draw the shaft 3| outwardly. thereby establishing and maintaining asealing relation betweenthe inner end of the bushing 32' and the hub 33 of the rotor.

It isbelieved that the operation of the device will be understood from the foregoing description, but it may be summarized as follows. The pump or impeller 262'!' is driven at all times by 'the pulley 2,3, and at all times tends to draw cooling fluid from the water jacket and expel it through the-valve -l-4--to the radiator. While the engine is cold the valve 14 is shut. Consequently little current flows through the system and theimpeller ,builds up a small hydraulic pressure against the valve I4. As the engine andthe cooling fluid warm up, the valve l4 begins to open, permitting the hydraulic current generated by the impeller to flow to thetherefore closely approximate that of the belt Preferably and as herein driven pulley 23. hown, the valve' disk [4 is provided with a small The hub vent hole 4 that permits a continuous slight circulation of cooling fluid to the radiator and throughout the cooling system in order that the temperature of the fluid may be substantially equalized at all times. The minimum predetermined flow thus permitted is negligible so far as its effect in rotating the fan.

It may be noted as a further advantage of my invention that a very considerable improvement in the driving efficiency of the engine is achieved by relieving the engine of the duty of driving the fan throughout the very substantial intervals of time when its cooling action is not required.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An automatic fan-controlling device comprising a casing having a circulating pump and rotor concentrically arranged therein forrotation about a common axis, the rotor having vanes located in the path of' fluid circulated by the pump and being driven thereby, power operated means for rotating the pump, a fan cperatively connected to the rotor, and a thermostatic valve for controlling the volume of circulating water driven by the pump against the rotor.

2. Anautomatic fan-controlling device com-s prising a casing providing a fluid passage between the water jacket and radiator of an engine,

a power driven circulating pump with longitu dinal vanes disposed within the passage, a rotor with longitudinal vanes concentrically disposed with respect to the pump; a fan 'operatively connected to said rotor, and a thermostatically operating valve controlling fluid flow through the passage.

3. An automatic fan-controlling device comprising a casing having a fluid passage therein defined in part by a vertical wall, an impeller having longitudinal blades annula'rly disposed with their ends adjacent to said wall'for rotation about a horizontal axis, a rotor concentrically arranged with respect to the impeller, the rotor having vanes located in' the path of fluid circulated by. the impeller and being driven thereby, a fan connected to the rotor, and a thermostatic valve controlling the volume of -fluid through the passage.

4. An automatic fan-controlling device com prising" means providing "a passage between" the water jacket and radiator of an internal com bustion engine, an annular series of stationary longitudinally extending vanes in said passage.

' a power operated impeller having a similar series of vanes concentrically disposed with respect to the stationary vanes, a rotor-fluid driven by the impeller, and a fan driven by the rotor about the axis of the impeller.

5. An automatic fan-controlling device comprising a casing providinga passage between the water jacket and radiator of an internal combustion engine and having concentric annular seals in its 'wall, a power driven impeller and a rotor'concentrically arranged within said pas sage, the rotor having vanes located in the path of fluid circulated by the impeller and being driven thereby, springs holding the impeller and rotor in yielding contact with the said seals and afan driven by the rotor.

6. An automatic fan-controllingidevice com prising a casingadaptedto be secured to the water jacket of an internal. combustion engine and providing a passage between the water jacket and radiator, said casing having a hub, a hollow shaft journaled in the hub and carrying a turboim-peller, a solid shaft located within the hollow shaft and carrying a turbo-rotor disposed concentrically within the impeller, means for driving the said hollow shaft, a tube projecting from the water Jacket providing a fluid passage concentrically disposed with respect to said shafts,

and a thermostatic valve controlling flow through said passage.

7. A fan-controlling device for automotive engines comprising a casing providing a passage between the water jacket of the engine and the radiator, a thermal valve controlling the volume of cooling fluid flow through said passage above a predetermined minimum flow for equalizing the temperature of fluid in the system, a rotor mounted for free rotation in said casing, and a mechanically driven circulating pump concentrically disposed within said passage in operative relation, the rotor having vanes disposed in the path of fluid circulated by the pump and being driven thereby, and a fan connected to said rotor.

8. A fan-controlling device for automotive engines comprising a casing constructed and arranged to be interposed between the radiator and engine block of an internal combustion engine,

a power driven pump and rotor mounted adjacent to each other for rotation about a common axis in the casing, the rotor having vanes disposed in the path of fluid circulated by the pump and being driven thereby, the casing providing a fluid passage to and from the pump and rotor, a fan connected to the rotor, and a thermostatic valve in said passage arranged to control the flow of circulating fluid after it leaves the pump and thus to regulate its effect on the rotor.

WALTER B. CLIFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,177,989 Bullock Apr. 4, 1916 1,537,700 Rosenhagen May 12, 1925 2,005,193 Mayo June 18, 1935 2,068,536 Davies Jan. 19, 1937 2,075,498 Bondurant Mar. 30, 1937 2,090,401 Mayo Aug. 17, 1937 2,099,366 Kutcher Nov. 16, 1937 2,284,948 Combs June 2, 1942 

